Anna Wintour Should Never Have Come For Naomi Campbell

On Tuesday (Sept. 3), Harlem’s Fashion Row Show and Style Awards honored the one and only Naomi Campbell. As reported by Women’s Wear Daily, founder Brandice Daniel used her event for those in attendance to support Black designers and “create a shift in the industry.”

However, when Conde Nast’s Chief Content Officer and Global Editorial Director Anna Wintour made her highly anticipated speech to introduce Campbell, she immediately shaded the legend.

Wintour told the audience that she herself is “a very punctual person” and that “I have the honor of presenting tonight to someone who is often late” (referring to Campbell). The fashion fixture then said that Samir Nasr (editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar) would step in for her.

Wintour went on to praise the supermodel, saying “Naomi’s bravery has benefited the entire fashion industry.” She also called Campbell “a fashion godmother to generations of young models and designers.”

Her words were kind, but Wintour starting things off with an insult was unnecessary — especially since she has a problematic history with Black folks.

For years, Vogue — the world’s most influential fashion magazine — has been called out for its lack of covers featuring Black people as well as the lack of diverse photographers (Wintour oversees the publication’s contents).

When there are Black folks on the magazine’s cover, they are often photographed by Annie Leibovitz, who receives frequent backlash for how washed out and discolored their images appear to be...something that doesn’t happen with Vogue’s white cover stars. We saw this in spreads for Viola Davis, Simone Biles and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Also, when Black men are featured on a Vogue cover, they are often accompanied by white women (Kanye West with ex-wife Kim Kardashian, LeBron James with Gisele Bündchen, Usher with Carolyn Murphy). Again, this isn’t a problem for white men who cover the magazine.

Then there’s Wintour’s distressing relationship with the late Andre Leon Talley who passed away in 2022. In his 2020 memoir, “The Chiffon Trenches,” the former editor-in-large of Vogue revealed that Wintour mistreated him and cut him off three years before his death for being “too old, too overweight, and too uncool.” During an interview on “The Tamron Hall Show,” Talley also said there was a staggering pay gap between him and other Vogue editors.

Wintour’s dig at Campbell may have contained some accuracy, but is ignorant considering her own past actions. Campbell seemingly alluded to Wintour’s comment in her acceptance speech at the event. “I want to say this. Everything is meant to work out the way it’s going to work out,” she stated, according to PEOPLE.

“It wasn’t my choice to have the other lady. I would much rather have this,” Campbell continued, motioning to Nasr.

Campbell thanked Wintour has done for her career. “Thank you, Anna Wintour, for your support in my career from 1987, meeting a young Black girl from South London in British Vogue offices and taking a chance in giving me a shoot,” Campbell said.

“And so I thank you for your influence and your continuing support in pushing fashion forward also.”